For You
by WordOfTheWise100
Summary: Over ten years, I had been gone. Over ten years and only now did I accept that this feeling in my gut, was not just homesickness returning. Something was wrong in that town. Something was endangering those that mattered most to me. An Alpha...a Queen is supposed to protect their family. I planned on doing just that. (Better Summary Inside. Chapter 1 is the 'blurb'.)
1. Chapter 1

Coming back to Beacon Hills permanently was never really a part of my plan. To visit, sure. But there was something…pulling. It started as a thought to visit, to see my family again. Then as time went by, the thought became more frequent, more in depth and very quickly turned into an ache. It was a longing, homesickness almost. I knew that something was wrong. I had thought of home before but never felt like I _needed_ to be there. My gut was telling me that I was _needed_. That something was wrong.  
So I sat on a plane for hours on end and when I finally landed in the US, I tried my father's cell. With no luck. The feeling in my stomach grew stronger, the need to get home was more urgent. I tried to assure myself that my dad was probably just working, maybe out on a call. It didn't work. Instincts never lie. You can fool yourself for a while, but in the end, they're always right. Making a point of bringing only the clothes I wore, made getting out of the airport much easier.  
Once I was outside, all at once, the feeling vanished. Scowling and sorting through the endless possibilities in my head, I hailed a cab.  
It wasn't long until the town came into view and all too quickly, I was at the front door of my childhood home. As I raised a fist to knock, I felt as though the air had been sucked from my lungs and that same burn in my chest resurfaced. Something was very, very wrong.


	2. Chapter 2 - Reunion and a Road Trip

My father opened the door and I was met with his scowl as he looked me over "Yes?" The voices further inside the house ceased talking, all of the people inside were obviously listening for the response.  
I grinned up at him "Dad, you'd think you would recognize your own daughter." Multiple gasps came from behind the man before me. Said man's expression quickly turned to shock "Oh god, I'm so sorry. The porch lights have been out for the last week. I didn't think you'd be back here for a while, at least this far from Christmas."  
"Don't worry about it!" I looked over his shoulder and met the gaze of a young girl, poking her head around the corner. I raised a brow "Are you going to let me in, so I can meet all the children you have in there?" My father laughed and motioned for me to step inside.

I rounded the corner and stopped in front of a rather large group of teenagers, each of them staring at me. I gave a tentative wave "Well, hi!" No one moved. I looked to my brother, standing at the back "Seriously?" He just kept staring at me. "Stiles?" I rolled my eyes "Really? I haven't seen you in years and this is-" I froze when I was engulfed in a hug, long arms wrapping around my torso and their face buried into my shoulder. Relaxing into the hug, I smiled "Hey, little bro." Wrapping my arms around him and hugging him close to me, was one of the best feelings I had experienced in a long time. I had missed so much. I had missed my brother.  
Tears pricked my vision when his arms tightened around me and small tremors shook him "Hey," I ran my hand over his hair, "come on now. Why the tears? Huh? I've got you."  
He spoke into my jumper "We missed you. I missed you. We really needed you. I just don't want to lose you again." His voice shook with emotions I couldn't place. I just held him, looking over his shoulder to another boy that had stepped forward. A boy with dark eyes and a crooked smile. Tears blurred my vision then, my heart squeezing in my chest. I had been gone too long. I had thought I missed my family before and then I realized, I missed them so much more than being homesick. I held out a hand to the boy "Come here." He didn't hesitate and put his arms around both myself and his friend.  
Taking a deep breath, I could scent them both. I could scent home. I rocked them gently "I missed my little brothers." I was torn between two emotions. Happiness, at being home and with my family again. Then there was a sadness in my heart, almost guilt, because I had been gone for so long. Holding them then and feeling the strength of them, I opted for the former of the two emotions. I gave a smile and laughed softly "Both of you have gotten so big!" They laughed. "Scotty, I never thought you'd be taller than me!" The hug was released, "Stiles," I held him at arms' length, "my god! Look at you!" Both of them had grown so much and not just physically, I could tell. There was a sadness, there in their eyes. Tiredness. They looked wise beyond their years and I knew there was much that could account for that.

My brother couldn't wipe the smile off of his face when he were told that my appearance was not just a visit. I was in Beacon Hills indefinitely.  
There was, however, the problem I was now faced with. Scott was eyeing me and I him. I noticed the change in his scent. I also knew the reason for the change. I didn't want to believe it, but I was really left with no choice. The scents of the other teens only further confirmed my suspicion.  
He could obviously tell that my own was similar to the teenagers around him, but he wasn't sure how. Scott was fairly new to the whole thing then.  
The fact that these kids had lived in this particular town for most of their lives, really left no room for them to live totally normal lives. What I had trouble accepting was the fact that my brother and apparently my father, had been sucked into the weirdness that was Beacon Hills.  
When I left, I was almost certain that my family had no knowledge of anything supernatural being real. They were human and no Hunters. It would have been too dangerous for them to know.  
I come back here after all this time and the lot of them have gone and gotten themselves 'upgrades' in one way or another, whether directly or indirectly.  
I sighed heavily, the realization about how much more difficult and how much more complex the dangers were to this particular group, was beginning to dawn on me "Okay. So who is what?"  
The teens either gaped or glared in my direction, the same girl from before stepped up to meet me and attempted a toe-to-toe confrontation. Fortunately my height and build allowed me the upper hand, even without her knowledge of me. She narrowed her eyes "Who are you? Exactly? And what makes you think we would trust you? What makes you think we're hiding something?  
I could already taste victory "I am related to the guy," I took in her scent as I breathed and continued, despite my shock, "who is either secretly wearing your clothes or knows you rather intimately." I gave my brother a pointed look and received a sheepish smile. The girl in front of me immediately backed down and I barrelled on, "As for the other questions, you wouldn't feel the need to interrogate me, if you didn't have things to hide."  
Stiles stepped between us "Let's just," he guided the girl away from me, "calm down here." He looked to me, "How do you know?"  
"Know what?"  
"You know 'what'. You asked us what we are." Stiles gestured to the group with a sweep of his hand.  
I nodded, simply to confirm his statement "Yeah, I did. I can smell it on you."  
The kid practically jumped on me, taking me by the shoulders and staring into my face "Smell it?! Are you serious?! What are you? Are you a Werewolf? Did Peter bite you? Is that why you left?" All of those questions were fired in such quick succession, even I had trouble following.  
I pulled his hands from my shoulders "Yes. Yes. No, I am not a Wolf." I paused. "How could Peter have bitten me?" Stiles immediately looked at his feet. "Stiles. What happened?" Worry quickly turned to panic when neither Stiles nor Scott would meet my gaze. "Tell me what happened. Laura was next in line. After Talia. How could I have been turned by Peter?"  
Stiles ran a hand over his face "Laura was killed."  
My breath left my chest and my heart dropped to my stomach "No."  
"Peter…he was…clinically comatose and apparently insane. He went after Laura. He killed her and went after the rest of us. Some of us."  
Scott spoke up "He was the one that turned me. Peter tried to recruit me into his pack and I refused, so he tried to make me murder my friends. Then Derek killed him." _Derek._ I shook my head clear. Another thought for another time. I reigned in my frantic heartrate and slowed my mind, breathing slowly, "So Derek is the Alpha?"  
"No," Stiles shook his head, "there is no Alpha of the Hales now." That wasn't good.  
"Derek's dead." My chest ached.  
"No, no!" Scott quickly reassured me, "He gave up his power to save Cora." I felt like my head was going to explode. I put my hand up, "Okay, okay. Stop. I want one person to fill me in up to this point. There are people dying and coming back from the dead all over the place. As much as I am overjoyed to know Cora is okay, I cannot take people springing this shit on me all at once." Scott and Stiles stared at one another and seemed to come to some sort of wordless agreement. Scott nodded to me "Okay, here goes nothing."

I was doing my best not to flip out on the boy in front of me. There were so many things that didn't have to happen the way they had, had this group…this pack, had someone to guide them. I pinched the bridge of my nose "Let me make sure I got this right. Malia is a Werecoyote, _Peter's_ and _The Desert Wolf's_ daughter, which makes her Derek's cousin _and_ she's Stiles' girlfriend." Nods of agreement all 'round. "Lydia is a Banshee. Kira is a Kitsune and your girlfriend. Derek is a Beta and _missing_." The group flinched when I emphasized. "Peter is half in the pack, half not and no one knows if he's trustworthy. Scott is a Wolf and a True Alpha," I gave him a thumbs-up, "but my brother is still human. However, he was possessed by an evil spirit at one stage and Dad knows about _all_ this." They all nodded again. "Great. Okay. Wonderful."  
"So are you going to tell us what you are?" A small voice came from the young Kitsune.  
I smiled wryly at Kira "I suppose I should." I considered my options for a moment longer and I knew that they deserved to know, most of all my brother and if it what I was helped us get Derek back…then so be it. The teens watched me carefully, Malia and Scott were the most apprehensive. They could sense, feel the strength I possessed.  
I wasn't sure how they would take it and I wasn't sure how the current Alpha of the territory was going to react. Regardless of my strength, I needed to be completely accepted here if I was going to stay and help. I did my best to relax and let Scott see my red eyes. He inhaled sharply "You're an Alpha?!"  
Stiles piped up "You said you aren't a Werewolf!"  
His incredulousness certainly lightened the mood of the moment. I grinned at him "You think that Wolves are the only shifters that operate in groups?"  
"If you aren't a Werewolf, then what _are_ you?"  
"I'm a Lioness. Talia bit me and I have been the Queen of the Southern Clans for at least seven years now."  
Stiles floundered for a moment, stammering in his attempt to form his words "A-a Lioness? A Queen?" The title was only that. A title. Used by Lions the world over for their prides' female leaders. Males were titled Kings respectively. The name of the Pride I lead simply helped to describe our dynamic. Given the habitable places in Australia, we were limited in our choices. Especially when our Pride was so large. It meant that the Pride had to split into smaller groups and relocate.  
Our nature was slightly different to that of the Wolves' and living in such large numbers, endangered us and disrupted certain dynamics. So, there were groups spread throughout multiple towns and cities in the state that we occupied. I was resident in the capital city of Adelaide and our 'base' there, housed the largest group, or 'Clan'.  
I explained this to Stiles and the others and it seemed to allow them to relax. If only a little, while they wrapped their heads around the fact of another unknown Were coming to town.

Once the mix-and-match pack had exhausted all of their questions, they began to explain the circumstances, under which, Derek had disappeared. It looked like we were going on a road trip. To Mexico. I was rather glad that I had been taught Spanish, once upon a time.  
Bags weren't packed and no one took more than absolutely necessary to cross the borders both ways, so it wasn't long until six, fully grown people were crammed into Stiles' Jeep. It wasn't comfortable. Probably wasn't legal. But with the things that the check point actually had to worry about, we were the least of their concerns.  
We were definitely scrutinized as we passed the border, into Mexico. The patrol stopped us, squinted at the four of us in the back seat but waved us on. I immediately found it easier to breathe and the girls on either side of me, relaxed into their seats.


	3. Chapter 3 - The Calaveras

I could feel the bass in my feet and blocked the music from my head, watching as Stiles laid out the money. Fifty thousand dollars to be exact.  
I kept each man, on either side of me, in my peripheral and tuned back into the conversation between the three in front of me. The woman, the leader of this group of hunters accused us of being with the Japanese Mafia and her hunters, cocked their guns. I tensed, senses drinking in everything around me. "Not smart to come alone." Her grin was smug and I fought not to growl. Stiles leaned toward her "What makes you think we came alone?"  
The woman's smirk dropped and suddenly she seemed angry "You brought a wolf into my home?!"  
"We brought Alphas."  
I folded my arms and her attention focused on me. I smiled when the red bled into my eyes and the woman stood from her chair "My friends, I don't think you are aware of your poor timing. Do you know what a Dark Moon is?"  
Lydia answered "The part of a lunar phase where the moon is the least visible in the sky."  
"But do you know its meaning?"  
"Some people say it's a time of reflection…or grief."  
" _Grief_ and loss, miho. I wonder _why_ , when you and your friends have suffered so much loss, that you would risk it again for someone like Derek Hale?" This time, I growled. And Stiles gave her an answer that made her smile "'Cause we don't like to lose."  
A voice came over the walkie and was soon followed by Scott's " _Stiles, take ten off the table._ "  
Stiles did as he was asked and Lydia spoke up "Maybe you should just take the deal."  
"While I am keen to follow the warning of a Banshee, I'm going to have to decline."  
The others down in the club were advanced upon by the resident hunters. It didn't take long for the teens to take out the hunters and quickly make their way through the building. Sufficed to say, I was impressed with how efficiently they downed Mexico's best hunters.

"Alright, come on. Just give us Derek. You don't want him anyway, haven't you noticed what a downer he is?" I chuckled to myself, trust my brother to sass a seasoned hunter. Stiles paid me no heed and continued his attempt of persuasion "No sense of humour, poor conversationalist. Just…come on. Take the money."  
She took up a walkie "Show them how the Calaveras negotiate." Smoke, or what seemed to be, filled the club. The partyers paid it no mind. I really didn't want to know what was in it.  
The hunters made their way into the hall and the smoke came into the room. _Wolfsbane_. It wasn't the usual kind. It shouldn't have affected me. I gasped for air and immediately regretted it. The smoke burned my lungs and my vision swam. I dropped to my knees and a sharp blow to the base of my skull rendered me unconscious. 

I woke to the blurry figure of my brother, standing over me and tapping my cheek. My head pounded for a moment and ceased, whatever damage had been done healed quickly. Swatting his hand away, I sat up and turned to find Kira watching Scott, Malia sitting by herself and seemingly lost to her own thoughts. The door caught my gaze next and I made my way to it. Sliding my fingers under the frame, I pulled. Hard. It groaned and shifted an inch but made no further progress. I swore and slapped my palms against it in frustration, Stiles patted my shoulder.  
Kira's voice was the next thing to snap me to attention "He's awake. Guys! He's awake!" The other three of us made our way over and Scott tried to focus his vision on Stiles, then myself. Stiles kneeled by him "Scott, you okay?"  
"They don't have him! They don't _have_ Derek."  
I kneeled down and helped Scott sit up "We know, but right now they've got Lydia."  
"Lydia? What do they want with Lydia?"

Scott tried the door and I let him "Already tried it. It won't budge for me. Sure as shit, ain't gonna budge for you."  
The group started discussing their options and Malia was trying to make sense of why we couldn't just leave Lydia behind "Why not?"  
Stiles scratched his head, a little awkward "Because we don't leave people, remember? We talked about this. Rules of the wild kingdom, don't apply to friends." Malia's head hung in shame, nodding silently. Always curious, Kira asked "Is that what she'd do as a coyote? Leave her for dead?"  
"If she was weak and injured, yeah! If hunting had been bad that season, I'd eat her…then I'd leave." I laughed, remembering having to teach lone lionesses similar things. Stiles, I could see, was a little embarrassed "Believe it or not, that's progress."

I sighed "It's possible he could have left on his own?" I hoped, at least. Stiles shook his head and Scott turned to me "Maybe somebody else got to him." I groaned. I really didn't want to consider it. There were options in that mix that would open multiple cans of worms.  
Scott, Malia and I all paused, a fraction of a second before the door was thrown open and a cattle prod was shoved into my chest. I dropped, unconscious. I really didn't like losing a fight and I really didn't like losing to a hunter. When I saw whoever scent I caught in that moment is, I would rip them apart.  
I stood as soon as I woke, swaying and growling. Slowly, I oriented myself and realised that two were missing from the room. Kira and Scott had been taken. Malia put her hands up in surrender, eyes blue "Hey, I'm pretty sure they're okay. If they've kept us alive, they must be too." I stopped moving, straining to hear as much as I could. Stiles speaking over the voices outside "Is that Scott?" He swung around to face us, "Can you hear Scott?" Malia closed her eyes, trying to concentrate but she couldn't seem to use her hearing as well as I could "I can't. There are too many sounds. And voices."  
Stiles immediately started to fire off things to help her concentrate. Apparently, I didn't exist. I could hear them, I focused on them and allowed Stiles to attempt his lesson. When he was silenced, I looked to them to find that the coyote has pressed her lips to Stiles'. I raised a brow but said nothing. _Way to go, little brother._  
Malia sat back and cool, blue eyes were focused on Stiles. I smiled and nodded to her before turning my attention back to the door. Poor Kira. Scott, I knew could take it. But Kira would have a hard time dealing with the guilt.

I straightened, eyes red and teeth bared when Scott's roar echoed through the building. I heard chains and a name. _Kate Argent._  
The red left my eyes and my claws receded "No. No, that can't be what he said." I staggered back and my gaze connected with my brother's "You told me that she was dead."  
Malia looked between the two of us "What? Who's Kate?"  
I took a seat beside her "She's a hunter. An Argent."


	4. Chapter 4 - La Iglesia

I welcomed the warmth that Stiles' Jeep provided as I leaned against it. Scott was being…threatened, I supposed. Warned that when – not if – he turned an innocent into a monster, the Calaveras would come looking for him. I knew she meant it, but a threat from a hunter meant little to nothing in my book. They had a problem with being indecisive. "What now?" Stiles questioned his friend.  
"She thinks she knows where we can find Derek."  
I pushed off the Jeep, hope creeping in "What? She gonna tell us where?"  
Scott's expression was a little incredulous "Actually, she's going to give us a guide." It was at that moment that a bike's engine caught by attention, the rider pulling up next to the Jeep. The rider was obviously female, lean and curved. Stiles was all too appreciative and I rolled my eyes. _Men._ He gestured toward her "You know her?"  
Scott almost looked worried and I wondered what kind of person had just been sent to us. I wouldn't put it past the Calaveras to send us our executioner. The wolf Alpha nodded "Braeden." My eyes widened. I wasn't sure how to feel, tossing up between shock and irritation at the thought of having to deal with her.  
Malia and Lydia folded their arms, feeling the same vibe I got from her. Malia stood up, off of Stiles' Jeep "Who's Braeden?"  
"She's a mercenary." I fought back a growl as I spoke. Apparently I had decided on irritation. Good. Irritation was something I could work with.  
"Right now, I'm the only one that will take you to La Iglesia." Pursing her lips and raising a brow, as though she dared one of us to challenge her. I wished I could. But unfortunately she was right.  
"The Church?" Lydia was sceptical.  
"What's at the church?" Stiles, always asking the right questions.  
"It's not a place you'll find God." Was the smartass reply from the mercenary. 

So we were off, driving through the desert with Braeden on point to lead the way and the heat making me more and more inclined to irritation as we drove. Being crammed into the tiny confines of the Jeep with three other girls in the back seat, was less than fun. The fact that Malia was wanting to play Twenty Questions, even less so "Okay, I'll ask. Who's Kate Argent?" I was surprised to find that her name still roused a rather large amount of anger, despite the fact that I hadn't seen nor heard of the woman in over ten years.  
Kira raised her hand, eyes on the back of Scott's head "I'd like to know too." She was nervous for asking and I didn't blame her. The tense energy that came up any time someone mentioned her, was enough to silence most. Stiles started off the conversation, in his usual sarcastic fashion "Well, we were at her funeral. So I'd like to know how she got out of a casket that was buried six feet underground."  
"She was never in it." The other Alpha was staring off into the distance and everyone was quiet. I shifted slightly between Lydia and Malia, the former speaking up "She was Allison's Aunt."  
Laughing dryly, I added "And a total sociopath." Lydia nodded in agreement.  
Kira sighed and studied Scott, knowing how much the subject of Allison was going to upset him "You don't have to talk about it now, if you don't want to."  
"Uh, yes he does!" Malia's voice was firm but her eyes were soft, needing to know but not happy about any pain it might cause Scott. He nodded "She's right, you guys should know. You need to know." Scott turned in his seat to look at all of us, his eyes stopped on me for a moment. He knew that I had already been told everything, knew that I had actually been present for some of the events. Stiles nodded "Alright, Kate was the one who set the fire that killed most of Derek's family." I dropped my gaze to my lap, the hurt I felt when I lost that part of my family was still there. It hadn't ever left.  
Scott continued the tale "Some of them survived, like Cora and Peter." He looked at me, "And Cali." The girls' immediately looked at me, eyes wide in shock. Scott's voice drew their attention "She was there too." I inhaled slowly, calming and pushing away the memories that tried to surface "Yeah, but Peter was angry."  
Lydia agreed "Very angry."  
"Yeah, he's the one who bit and turned me." Scott had that far-away look again and I reminded myself that I'd have to chew out the older wolf when I got back.  
"And the one who finally caught up to Kate and killed her." Lydia glanced at me out the corner of her eye, almost like she was worried that that piece of information would set me off. I wasn't sure whether I'd thank Peter for killing her, or smack him upside the head for turning her. Stiles was in complete disbelief that Kate could be back "We saw her buried."  
"No," Scott shook his head, "We saw a casket, remember? She wasn't in it." Stiles pursed his lips in thought. He didn't want to believe it, that much I could tell. I didn't want to believe it either. She was enough trouble as a human hunter, let alone a shifter.  
I motioned for Scott to continue his explanation "The Calaveras had heard that Kate had been killed by an Alpha's claws. They wanted to make sure that she was really dead. Her body was healing more and more as she got closer to the Full Moon." Scott shook his head, not wanting to believe his own story, "She was coming back! So they switched out the bodies. They took her." He turned to look at us in the back, "If a hunter's bit, they have to take their own life before they change." He sat back down again, looking through the windshield, "The Calaveras, they treat the Code like law. They make it their responsibility to enforce it."  
Malia shrugged "Good for her. I wouldn't do it either."  
I laughed "Would you kill half a dozen people to get out?"  
"She did." Scott was disappointed, if only for the fact that he couldn't save those people that had been in Kate's path.  
"So Kate's a Werewolf now?" Kira leaned forward, in earnest almost. Almost like she was begging for Scott to tell her something different.  
"I don't know. But there's a saying. 'Sometimes the shape you take, reflects the person you are."  
"What kind of shape is Sociopathic Bitch?" Was probably the best line I had heard from Lydia all day.  
A sudden crash made me swear. Loudly. Something had slammed into the side of the Jeep and the engine puttered out. Stiles pulled to a stop and we all leapt from the car, inspecting every inch of it.  
Our guide came striding over "What happened?!"  
I called out from the rear "Don't know! Felt like we hit something!" Something big and obviously something fast. There was no sign of it. On the car or on the road.  
"Scott! We need to get there before night! It's too dangerous otherwise." Again, she was right. I didn't know what we had hit, but I didn't think it was an accident. Especially if the engine was out of commission.  
Scott and Stiles stared at each other for a moment before Stiles waved him off "Go!"  
"Not without you!" In that Scott was fairly adamant. I almost smiled. I was glad that my two boys, my two brothers were still just as close as when I had left them.  
"Dude, someone needs to find Derek." Stiles glanced at Braeden, "We'll think of something. We always do, just go." He patted a hand against Scott's chest and then caught my eyes "Take Cali with you."  
Scott turned, looked at me and back to Stiles "No. No way. I'm not leaving you here without someone to protect you."  
"Scott, we'll be fine. It's you that Kate's going to be worried about and if you come up against her, you're gonna need all the help you can get." Stiles leaned in close, "Besides, we don't know Braeden."  
I walked forward and took Scott's arm, dragging him forward. Braeden looked me over "Only one of you is going to fit on this bike. How am I supposed to take both of you?"  
"I'll run." I shrugged.

"Scott!" We all turned to Kira's voice, "I can't think of anything else to say except for 'be careful'. And I know 'be careful' sounds kind of lame and I'm totally sure that the second you're gone I'm going to think of something much better but…" she trailed off. The pair just gazed at each other for a moment and this time, I did smile. I knew Kira had feelings for Scott and I knew that Scott…being Scott was going to be totally oblivious to it. At least until he had worked through his loss.  
A big grin formed on his face "'Be careful' works for me!" The two embraced, wrapping their arms around each other. Or maybe I was wrong. It had happened once or twice.  
The woman beside me shook her head in exasperation "Scott, the sun's going down." Annoyance made its way into my expression and I scowled at her before starting off down the road on foot, the bike roaring to life behind me and quickly overtook me. I sped up, feet pounding the dirt. I couldn't keep up with bike, obviously. But I could keep up just enough to keep up with its dust cloud.  
I slowed when the bike came into view, the others standing by a ridge. I walked up next to them, lungs burning and legs almost jelly.  
Braeden announced the city that lay down below us "La Iglesia."  
I looked out over the ruins of the city, buildings had been levelled "What happened here?"  
"An earthquake. It levelled the town." A short response.  
Scott pointed to the large building in the centre "Why is the church still standing?"  
"The locals think it's because of what's underneath."  
"Do we wanna know?" Of course Scott would try to evade the gory details.  
"The church was built over the ruins of an Aztec temple. It belonged to a people called The Nagual."  
"Shapeshifters."  
"Werejaguars." Braeden didn't seem happy about it. Neither was I. These house cats were a pain the ass. Casters of magic and an innate sense of superiority because of it. Sure, they were worshipped as gods by the Aztecs. But my kind have been worshipped for much, much longer. With good reason.  
Scott motioned to the church "So Derek and Kate are somewhere in there?"  
"I dunno. Never gotten this far before." Why was she so smug about that?

We were outside the church and true to mercenary fashion, Braeden readied her shotgun. Typical. Always compensating were the hunters.  
Scott looked down at the gun with worry "If we find Kate in here, what are you gonna do with her?"  
"Bring her back to the Calaveras. It's what they paid me for."  
"What happens after that?"  
"Not my problem."  
I laughed incredulity "No, of course not." It never was. Get the money, skip out. Who cares about what happens to a possibly innocent or mistaken target once delivered.  
"You don't care?" Scott asked her.  
"Do you? She's a mass murderer."  
"You're a mercenary." I bit back.  
"Girl's gotta eat." Was the dry response.  
"Yeah, at the expense of someone's life." I really didn't want her around the others any longer than she had to be. And she proved my point in her next few words.  
"If the money was good enough, would you kill her? Kate?" Poor Scott was always wanting to the right thing, no matter what they had done.  
"If the money was good, I'd kill you." She looked Scott over and I growled. Her eyes met mine and she turned away, quicker than she probably intended. I smirked at her back and followed the pair into the church. Braeden pushed over bits of wood covering the doorway. I fought urge to smack her over the head with one "Do you think you could make some more noise? I don't think they know we're here."  
She ignored me completely "Can either of you catch Derek's scent?"  
"Of course." Was my response.  
"Already on it." Was Scott's. We continued on, through the aisle and I paused behind them. I could hear what sounded like footsteps and…growling almost. Scott listened along with me and halted Braeden. She followed his gaze "What?"  
"There's something else in here."  
"'Something', like what?" She looked around us.  
"Something not human." Apparently, that was her cue to go off ahead, shotgun at her waist. I groaned inwardly. Why was it that mercenaries seem to think they can take on any and everything non-human?

"So how come you didn't kiss her?"  
"Really. Are you seriously prying into that? _Now?"_ I glared at her and she shrugged.  
"How come you didn't kiss your girlfriend?" She wasn't giving up.  
"You mean Kira?"  
"Whatever her name is." It was said with a certain degree of rudeness that made me want to push her down the stairs. I almost felt guilty for the thought, except for the fact that she blatantly admitted to her nonchalance about offing Scott, should she be offered enough. Braeden was inspiring a lot of violent tendencies in me that evening.  
Scott stammered, starting and restarting his sentences until he finally settled on one easy explanation "She's not my girlfriend."  
"So if you die down here, are you going to regret not kissing her?" I attempted to glare a hole into the back of her skull. Scott turned to her, frowning in confusion and Braeden raised her eyebrows "You should have kissed your girlfriend." I closed my eyes, breathed deep and pinched the bridge of my nose. The amount of will power I was demonstrating for not separating her spine into two pieces, should have really won me a medal.

Making our way through the hallways was the most difficult part. At least with a human in the lead. She was walking quietly, for a human but I could have heard her on the other side of the church. Also the fact that the muzzle of her gun would be the first thing anyone around the corner was going to see. But of course, the mercenary believed she had the most experience and so, wanted the two of us behind her. Which was illogical. To literally anyone.  
We all turned when a low moan came from the hall behind us. I knew it wasn't just the stone but I wished it was. When it quieted we made our way further down the hall.  
I felt a prickling on the back of my neck and spun, Scott doing the same. It was a feeling similar to being watched, but this was stronger. As though something had been behind us. Braeden whispered to us harshly "What?"  
I was breathing carefully, silently "I just had a feeling like something was behind us." This time, Braeden had the decency to look afraid. If Scott couldn't sense the threat and even I couldn't, there was something very, very dangerous on our heels.  
There was a breath behind me and each of us swung around to try and find the source of the noise. Braeden raised her gun "You hear that?!" A deep growl came from in front of us, footsteps of something out of sight. Whatever it was, it was big.  
"Is this why you never got this far?" Scott asked our guide, worried about her answer now.  
Then it was running. Fast. It was heavy. But it was fast.  
Braeden yelled above the noise "Get ready!" The thing rounded the corner and I bared my teeth, Braeden's shots echoing. We backed up as she shot at it and I realised she was backing us right into a corner. Freaking humans. She yelled "Where is it?! Can you see it?!"  
"No! I can't see anything!" Scott had a hard time as a wolf, not so good with night vision.  
"I can't see it either." But I could see everything else.  
"Where is this thing?!" She was frantic. Not so good when dealing with a fight. A growl came from the doorway in front of us and Scott alerted our guide "It's coming back! It's coming back!"  
I could almost hear the cogs whirring in her head "Scott, Cali! Get behind me!" Scott and I looked at each other and stepped up in front of Braeden. My eyes glowed and I bared shifted teeth. The pair of us took a deep breath…and roared. Braeden dropped her gun to cover her ears, the sound of our combined roar collapsing the hallways.  
Scott looked at me in concern "I think we scared it."  
Braeden chastised us "I think you scared everything!" Rock falling behind Braeden caught my eye and I would have pulled her behind me, had I not recognised it as a doorway.  
"What is that?!" Scott took up the flashlight and made his way through. He shined the light on an intricate design, carved into the stone of the wall.  
"Tezcatlipoca, the Nagual Jaguar god." Braeden sure knew a lot about the Aztecs. She brushed dirt from the carving and nodded to it "I think we found Derek."  
Scott didn't hesitate. He dropped down to listen through the stone and whatever he heard spurred him into action. He raised his fist "Stand back." I nodded to him and he let it fly, striking the stone and breaking open what seemed to be a tomb. The three of us kneeled down to look through the hole Scott had created and shock was the first thing I could manage as a hand reached up to us. I couldn't believe it and I was seeing it. Scott voiced my thoughts perfectly "Oh my God."

Braeden took point while Scott and I had hoisted Derek up, looping one arm each over our shoulders. Together we carried him from the church, his feet dragging beneath him. I hadn't seen the guy in over ten years and it was literally like nothing had changed.  
I was more than relieved to see the Jeep ahead of us, the group coming to stand in front of us "Is that him? Is that Derek?" I remembered that Malia hadn't met Derek before.  
Stiles answered for me "Sort of." 'Sort of' was an understatement. The wolf, that should have been roughly twenty six, was sixteen. Same as I had left him. Obviously, Kate had worked her magic on him pretty damn well.


	5. Author's Note - Cali's Involvement

These first few chapters are just to help the story along in Season 4, it also allows for Cali's involvement to be a bit more of a slow burn rather than jumping straight back into a family dynamic. Especially one she hasn't actually yet been around. I do apologise for the little involvement she has at the moment, but she'll become more and more of an important part of the story. Do bear with me, guys!  
And please! DO give me some feedback if you have some!


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